Water Baptism

By Thos. Thompson

*All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible, unless otherwise identified*

There is much debate and therefore much confusion on the subject of baptism, but the Bible says in I Corinthians 14:33 …God is not the author of confusion… we will then look to the Bible to find a clear answer. It is important to understand that the Bible is the infallible Word of God, without this understanding the debate and confusion will rage on, but we can be assured His Word is Truth and it will never fail.

Many have said that baptism is not essential to salvation, causing much confusion because the Bible clearly states that to be saved we must be baptized.

Mark 16:15-16

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Some say that because Jesus said only “he that believeth not shall be damned”, and didn’t say ‘he that believeth not and is not baptized shall be damned’, that this somehow makes baptism non-essential. That is like saying “if you want an apple and pay for it, you can have it, but if you don’t want an apple and you don’t pay for it you can’t have it”. It goes without saying; if you don’t want an apple, you’re not going to pay for it. If you don’t believe in Jesus Christ, you are ipso facto not going to be baptized in His name. Peter understood the importance of baptism; in his first letter he said,

I Peter 3:21

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Baptism must be preceded by repentance. This prerequisite was demanded by John the Baptist, Jesus Christ and Peter.

Matthew 3:7-8

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Before John would baptize the Pharisees and Sadducees, he required of them repentance and proof of repentance.

Luke 24:47

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Jesus put repentance before remission of sins. When He speaks of remission of sins, he is referring to baptism, as seen in Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Baptism is accomplished by total immersion in water. The Greek word translated ‘baptized’ or ‘baptism’ literally means to dip or immerse. As Paul said in Romans 6:

Romans 6:3-4

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

We are buried with Him in water baptism. Our being covered by the water is symbolic of His burial after he was crucified.

Baptism is done in the name of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:19

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus told His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. In the Greek the word translated ‘name’ is ONOMA which is in the singular case. This word gives importance to the confession of a name. To be baptized into a name means to be baptized into the faith or confession of that person and to be identified with His character and purpose. Jesus did not say to repeat the titles Father, Son and Holy Ghost, but rather to baptize “in the name of” the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Matthew let us know that Jesus is the name of the Son. In John He said, “I am come in my Father’s name”. It is clear in Romans that the Holy Ghost is the spirit of Jesus Christ. We find then that the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost is Jesus. We also discover that God is not divided in to three distinct persons, but as it says in Colossians, “In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead Bodily”. So when we baptize it is imperative that we do it in THE NAME OF JESUS!

Matthew 1:21

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

John 5:43

I am come in my Father‘s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

Romans 8:9

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Colossians 2:9

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

In every example we have in the Bible of someone getting baptized after Jesus rose from the dead, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Peter, who had earlier received from Jesus the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, said in Acts:

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts chapter eight records the revival that took place in Samaria. Note what it says about baptism;

Acts 8:12-16

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Peter was commanded to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. In Acts ten we see the first Gentile converts, and how they were converted.

Acts 10:44-48

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were cast into prison. At midnight the prayed and sang praises to God. The place was shaken and the doors to the prison were opened. The prison guard saw the doors opened and was about to kill himself, but Paul stopped him. The prison guard asked Paul what he had to do to be saved. Paul told him:

Acts 16:30-33

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

Some would say that all you have to do is believe on Jesus Christ because of what Paul said in verse 31. But Paul also spoke the Word of God to the guard and his house according to verse 32. We do not know what his exact words were, but Paul convinced him to be baptized. The fact that this man was baptized goes back to whether baptism is essential to salvation. But in the early days of the Church there was no confusion; if you believed, you were baptized. In Acts 10:48, which was quoted above, Peter commanded Cornelius and his household which had received the Holy Ghost to be baptized.

When Paul met some of John the Baptist’s disciples the first thing he wanted to know was how they had been baptized.

Acts 19:1-6

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

When Paul himself was baptized he received instruction on how it was to be done.

Acts 22:16

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

From this small study we can see that baptism:

1. It is essential to salvation

2. It must be preceded by repentance

3. It is accomplished by total immersion in water

4. It must be done in the name of Jesus Christ

5. It has many examples in the Scriptures that support these conclusions.

It is our hope that this brief survey of baptism will help clear up some of the questions that have confounded so many through the years. This is by no means a complete or even an in-depth study; rather its intent is to answer general and seemingly contradictory issues in the Bible.

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God is not divided

God is One

Thos. Thompson

All Scripture is King James Version.

It is thrilling to think that the great God of eternity and creation is also our salvation! God himself robed Himself in flesh to provide salvation for all who will come to Him.

Isaiah 43:3 - For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour…

Isaiah 43:10&11 - Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior.

Jesus is revealed as God dwelling with us.

Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

The Bible teaches, in no uncertain terms, that there is only one God.

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

The Bible does not teach that God is divided, or that he exists in a triune form, but rather that God manifest Himself in the flesh.

2 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

God has been One from eternity. If God is divided, which of the divisions walked with Adam in the garden? Which division said “Let there be light…” and created all things at the beginning? The Godhead is not divided into three persons, but rather the Godhead has been manifest in Jesus Christ.

Col. 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

The Holy Ghost is the spirit of Christ in us.

Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

John 14:16-18 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Jesus is the Comforter, also known as the Holy Ghost.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Jesus said that he would send the Comforter, and that He would not leave us Comfortless, He, Himself would come to us in the form of the Holy Ghost.

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

The devils believe in one God, because they at one time existed in His presence. They tremble at the knowledge of the oneness of God. The question is, how do you respond to the knowledge that God is one?

The fact that God is one is without dispute and with out controversy. What true father wouldn’t die to save his child from being killed? What kind of love is displayed if God says I love you so much someone else is going to die for you? The glorious truth is that God did not send a representative, or a third part of Himself to redeem fallen, and sinful mankind, but rather He robed himself in flesh, was whipped, crucified, buried, and rose again for the redemption of man.

2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

The Great God of the Old Testament is revealed as Jesus in the New Testament!

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah said the Son would be called the Father, but not just the Father, but the Everlasting Father. Jesus clarified this in the 14^th chapter of John when He said, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father...”

John 14:7-9 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

Is God divided? Certainly not! There is one only God; His name is Jesus!

Welcome to my blog.

Thank you for visiting my new blog.

The doctrines of the Bible will be the focus of this blog. I hope to inspire you, as you inspire me, to learn more about God and His Word. I will answer any question I can, and let you know if I don't know. I will insist that the discussion be respectful and Christ-like, rudeness and disdain will not be tolerated.

In general, I hate generalities, but I love humor, especially when it makes it point. I don't think the study of God's word has to be boring, or reserved just for stuffed shirts, I believe the Bible is an inexhaustible diamond mine. You share your gems and I share mine, then we are both richer.

More later,

Thos